44 MORPHOLOGY OF SPECIES 



Stream down the roots. Many experiments were tried ', seedlings 

 of different sizes were taken, but all with the same result. It may 

 be useful to give a few details of one or two of the experiments. 



Experiments with a seedling i inch high, with trifoliate leaves : 



I. — Water was poured from a spoon, or allowed to run out of 

 a pipette, at a height of 4 to 6 inches. None of it dropped from 

 the tips of the leaves. It was all conducted to the root. 



2. — Water poured in same manner on the leaves at one side 

 of the plant. About ^rd of it fell off in the form of drops, the 

 remainder was taken down to the root. 



3. — Allowed water from watering pot to fall from a height of 

 about 2 feet on to the plant. Nearly all the water which fell on 

 the plant went to the root. 



The leaves become easily wetted, but when quite dry the first 

 few drops fall off the leaves quite easily. The same experiments 

 were tried with a seedling three inches high, having trifoliate leaves 

 at the base and linear leaves at the top, with the same results. It 

 was noticed in this case that if, by any chance, a drop of water 

 fell off any of the upper leaves, it was caught by the lower ones, 

 and by them conducted to the root. A seedling two inches long, 

 with linear leaves, allowed very little water to escape any other 

 way than by the roots. On allowing water to play on a plant with 

 ten branches from five to eight inches long, from a watering pot, 

 most of that which fell on the plant was conducted down the stem 

 and delivered in a large stream at the roots ; very little escaped in 

 any other way. 



The following experiment was tried to show how easily and 

 rapidly the plant conducts water to the root even when applied 

 under great pressure : — A seedling two and a half inches long was 

 taken with linear leaves, the diameter of the seedling about ^ of 

 an inch in its widest part. A pipette with an indiarubber cap was 

 taken, filled with water, and brought to the apex of the seedling, 

 so that the opening was placed near the centre of the young leaves. 

 The indiarubber cap was then pressed suddenly and strongly, and 

 the water expelled, but none escaped laterally; it was all delivered 

 at the roots. On sending water in laterally the same result was 

 obtained. 



The leaves seem to take up the water and conduct it to the 



